服从政府的权柄

13 人人都要服从政府的权柄,因为所有的权柄都是出于上帝。现存的政权都是上帝设立的。 所以,抗拒权柄,就是抗拒上帝的命令,抗拒的人必自招惩罚。 掌权者不是叫行善的惧怕,而是叫作恶的惧怕。你想不怕掌权的吗?就要行得正,这样你会得到称赞。 要知道掌权者是上帝差遣的,对行得正的人有益处。然而,你若作恶,就该惧怕,因为他必将你绳之以法[a]。他是上帝的仆人,代表上帝秉公行义,惩奸罚恶。 所以,你们必须服从,不单是为了避免受到惩罚,也是为了良心无愧。

你们纳税也是为了同样的缘故,因为官长是上帝的仆人,负责管理这类事务。 凡是别人该得的,都要给他。该得米粮的,就纳粮给他;该得税款的,就缴税给他;该惧怕的,就惧怕他;该尊敬的,就尊敬他。

爱邻如己

凡事都不可亏欠人,但在彼此相爱方面要常常觉得做得不够。一个人爱别人,就成全了律法。 因为“不可通奸、不可杀人、不可偷窃、不可贪婪”以及其他诫命,都可以总结成一句话——“爱邻如己”。 10 人若有爱心,就不会作恶害人,所以爱成全了律法。

11 还有,要知道现今是你们该醒过来的时候了!因为与初信的时候相比,我们得救的日子更近了。 12 黑夜已深,天将破晓,我们要除掉黑暗的行为,穿上光明的盔甲[b] 13 我们要为人端正,光明磊落,不可荒宴醉酒、好色邪荡、嫉妒纷争。 14 你们要活出主耶稣基督的荣美[c],不要只顾放纵罪恶本性的私欲。

Footnotes

  1. 13:4 他必将你绳之以法”希腊文是“他配剑,不只是作作样子的”。
  2. 13:12 穿上光明的盔甲”或译“带上光明的兵器”。
  3. 13:14 活出主耶稣基督的荣美”希腊文是“穿上主耶稣基督”。

Submit to Government

13 Let every soul be (A)subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists (B)the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will [a]bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? (C)Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore (D)you must be subject, not only because of wrath (E)but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. (F)Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Love Your Neighbor(G)

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for (H)he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, (I)“You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” [b]“You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, (J)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore (K)love is the fulfillment of the law.

Put on Christ

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time (L)to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. (M)Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and (N)let us put on the armor of light. 13 (O)Let us walk [c]properly, as in the day, (P)not in revelry and drunkenness, (Q)not in lewdness and lust, (R)not in strife and envy. 14 But (S)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and (T)make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 13:2 Lit. receive
  2. Romans 13:9 NU omits “You shall not bear false witness,”
  3. Romans 13:13 decently